Spirit-level



(No Mdel.)

C. B. LONG. SPIRITLBVEL.

No. 372,921. V 'Patented-Nov. 8, 1887.

a -Zj N, PETERS. Phumumngmpher. washing C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE..

CHARLES BENJAMIN LONG, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPIRIT-LEVEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,921, dated November 8, 1887,

' Application filed May 11, 1886. Serial No. 201,885. (No model.)

.To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES BENJAMIN LoNG,a citizen ofWorcester,county of Worcester, and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spirit-Levels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to spirit-levels in which the glass 4spirit-bulbis carried in a slotted metallic tubc, which is adapted to be ro tated to bring the glass spirit-bulb into eX-. posed position when the level is in use and to cover and protect said bulb when the device is not in use.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure l is a side elevation of this improved spirit-level. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the metallic inclosing-tube andthe screws for holding said tube in the body or frame. Fig. 4t is a longitudinal view ofthe glass spirit-bulb. Fig; 5 is a side elevation ofthe body or frame ofthis improved spirit-level with the spirit-tube and inclosingtube removed. Fig. G is an end view of said body.

The body A of this improved spirit-level is provided with upright heads A A near its opposite ends, saidheads having screw-threaded openings 'a through them. A metallic tube, l5, countersunk` at its opposite ends, is support-ed between said heads and held in position by the screws C C, which pass through the holes a in said heads, and are tapered at their inner ends to fit the countersunk ends ofthe tube and center the latter. This metallic inclosing-tube is provided with a slot, c, at or near its center on one side. A glass spiritbulb, D, is inserted in the metallic tube B, and can be seen through the slot in the latter. When the spirit-level is in use, the metallic tube B is in the position shown in Figs l and 2, With its slotted face uppermost to expose the bulb. When the level is put away,the inclosiug-tube B is rotated a half-revolution on the screws C C, whereby its slotted face is covered by .the body of the structure and the glass bulb protected.

The parts described constitute aprotected Vspiritlevel, which is very simple in its construction and not liable to get out of true, as the tapering screws, in connection with countersunkQendahave a constant tendency to preserve the proper alignment of the bulb.

I claim- A protected spirit-level comprising the body A, having the perforated screw-threaded heads A, the slotted rotary inclosing-tube B, having countersunk ends, the glass bulb D Within said inclosing-tube, and the screws C C, passing through said screw-threaded heads and having tapered inner ends which engage the countersunk ends of the inclosingtube, substantially as described.

CHARLES BENJAMIN y LONG. W'itnesses:

CHARLEs MoEN RICE, ROBERT ADEN KNIGHT. 

